NBC Digital began laying off employees this morning. According to insiders, about 4 out of a staff of 80 got the axe. NBC declined to comment. The prelude to the layoffs came two weeks ago when Rob Hayes, Evp Digital Media for NBC, announced a division overhaul, in which four new executives were added to the digital team: Michael Martin, Svp, Product, Technology & Operations; Tom Blaxland, VP, Production; Eddie Lee, VP, Technology; and Ross Cox, VP, Product. In addition to those hires, Matt Allen and Trideev Dasgupta wee upped to VP, Digital Integrations and VP, Digital Business Development & Strategy, respectively, reporting to Ann McGowan, Svp, Digital Business Development & Strategy. Today’s layoffs are the result of that restructuring, insiders say. It’s been a little more than a year since Hayes was named Evp, replacing longtime NBCUniversal digital chief Vivi Zigler who left the company. Hayes was among the former Showtime execs...
- 10/1/2013
- by LISA DE MORAES, TV Columnist
- Deadline TV
Los Angeles CA—June 19, 2013—Shine America has named Rob Hughes Vice President, Marketing and Kevin Ivey, Executive Director, Research, it was announced today by Vivi Zigler, President, Shine 360˚ & Digital, Shine America. Hughes, who was formerly Executive Director, Marketing & Communications for Saban Brands, will oversee all day-to-day marketing responsibilities for Shine America including working with all network and digital partners on Shine America series initiatives, developing international marketing materials for Shine America produced series, as well as marketing Shine America itself. Ivey, who was formerly Vice President, Program Research for NBCUniversal cable network’s Syfy and Chiller, is charged with creating a new research department for Shine America and supplying strategic research data to the company’s scripted, unscripted, digital, publicity, Shine Latino and Shine 360˚ teams. Both Hughes and Ivey will work out of Shine America’s Los Angeles office and report to Zigler.
- 6/19/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Another former top Showtime executive is joining Bob Greenblatt at NBC. Robert Hayes has joined the network in the newly created position of Evp, Digital Media. He will oversee the network’s day-to-day digital strategy and operations, reporting to Len Fogge, President, NBC Entertainment Marketing & Digital. Hayes replaces longtime NBCUniversal digital chief Vivi Zigler who is leaving the company. Zigler held a president title, Hayes is an Evp; she reported to NBC chairman Ted Harbert, Hayes reports to Fogge. “It’s critical that we do everything possible to light up digital media in order to help rebuild the primetime schedule. And there’s no one better to lead this effort than Rob Hayes,” said NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt. “I saw the effect he had at Showtime firsthand, and it’s no accident that the pay network’s explosion coincided with its digital innovations.” At Showtime Networks, Hayes served as Svp and Gm,...
- 6/6/2012
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
It's a double homecoming for Jamila Hunter.
After a two-year stint as a comedy development executive at 20th Century Fox TV, Hunter is returning to her unscripted roots and going back to NBC where she started her career as an assistant a decade ago and then served as a longform and alternative programming exec from 2000-03.
Hunter is expected to join NBC in a newly created position of senior vp programming and development, alternative and digital.
She will report to Craig Plestis, exec vp alternative programming, development and specials; and Vivi Zigler, president of NBC Universal digital entertainment.
NBC has been experimenting with dual responsibilities under programming chief Ben Silverman. Earlier this year, the network merged its development and current series operations under drama and comedy heads Katie O'Connell and Jeff Ingold.
Additionally, the networks have been looking more to integrate their on-air and online programming efforts.
On the digital side, Hunter will oversee development of Web series. In alternative, she will shepherd the development of unscripted projects.
This is Hunter's second stint in NBC's reality department. As director and vp alternative programs from 2001-03, she oversaw such NBC series and specials as "Last Comic Standing," "TV's Most Outrageous Game Show Moments" and "The Cosby Show: A Look Back."
In 2003, Hunter moved to NBC's sibling cable channel Bravo, where she served as vp development and production and was involved in the launch of such hits as "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and "Project Runway." She shepherded such series as "Project Greenlight," Kathy Griffin's Laugh Factory show "My Life on the D-List" and the improv comedy series "Significant Others."
Hunter made the switch from unscripted to scripted in 2005 when she left Bravo to become vp comedy development for 20th TV, where she worked with such producers as Darren Star, Steve Levitan and Ashton Kutcher.
Following her assistant gig in NBC's movies and miniseries department in the late 1990s, Hunter landed a job as a manager of development at Robert Greenwald Prods. before returning to NBC in 2000 as director and later manager of movies and miniseries.
After a two-year stint as a comedy development executive at 20th Century Fox TV, Hunter is returning to her unscripted roots and going back to NBC where she started her career as an assistant a decade ago and then served as a longform and alternative programming exec from 2000-03.
Hunter is expected to join NBC in a newly created position of senior vp programming and development, alternative and digital.
She will report to Craig Plestis, exec vp alternative programming, development and specials; and Vivi Zigler, president of NBC Universal digital entertainment.
NBC has been experimenting with dual responsibilities under programming chief Ben Silverman. Earlier this year, the network merged its development and current series operations under drama and comedy heads Katie O'Connell and Jeff Ingold.
Additionally, the networks have been looking more to integrate their on-air and online programming efforts.
On the digital side, Hunter will oversee development of Web series. In alternative, she will shepherd the development of unscripted projects.
This is Hunter's second stint in NBC's reality department. As director and vp alternative programs from 2001-03, she oversaw such NBC series and specials as "Last Comic Standing," "TV's Most Outrageous Game Show Moments" and "The Cosby Show: A Look Back."
In 2003, Hunter moved to NBC's sibling cable channel Bravo, where she served as vp development and production and was involved in the launch of such hits as "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and "Project Runway." She shepherded such series as "Project Greenlight," Kathy Griffin's Laugh Factory show "My Life on the D-List" and the improv comedy series "Significant Others."
Hunter made the switch from unscripted to scripted in 2005 when she left Bravo to become vp comedy development for 20th TV, where she worked with such producers as Darren Star, Steve Levitan and Ashton Kutcher.
Following her assistant gig in NBC's movies and miniseries department in the late 1990s, Hunter landed a job as a manager of development at Robert Greenwald Prods. before returning to NBC in 2000 as director and later manager of movies and miniseries.
- 7/6/2008
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Related: NBC nabs Rosario Dawson Web series
NBC Universal relaunched its Digital Studio on Thursday with a focus on branded entertainment and two series already in the works.
The studio is headed by its vp, Cameron Death, who was hired last year by Ben Silverman, co-chairman NBC Universal Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Death and his team report to Silverman and Vivi Zigler, executive vp digital entertainment and new media at NBC.
The two missions of the studio, Zigler said, are to provide an avenue for branded entertainment and to "find amazing talent." To those ends, the studio has named Omnicon Media Group Digital as its first strategic partner and has signed a deal with Electric Farm Entertainment to produce two shows.
"Gemini Division", a sci-fi series starring Rosario Dawson, is set to debut in the summer, while "Woke Up Dead" is a zombie comedy in preproduction. Both will be available on company Web sites, including NBC.com, and the network has the options to bring both to TV with Sony Pictures TV International holding the series' international rights.
NBC Universal relaunched its Digital Studio on Thursday with a focus on branded entertainment and two series already in the works.
The studio is headed by its vp, Cameron Death, who was hired last year by Ben Silverman, co-chairman NBC Universal Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Death and his team report to Silverman and Vivi Zigler, executive vp digital entertainment and new media at NBC.
The two missions of the studio, Zigler said, are to provide an avenue for branded entertainment and to "find amazing talent." To those ends, the studio has named Omnicon Media Group Digital as its first strategic partner and has signed a deal with Electric Farm Entertainment to produce two shows.
"Gemini Division", a sci-fi series starring Rosario Dawson, is set to debut in the summer, while "Woke Up Dead" is a zombie comedy in preproduction. Both will be available on company Web sites, including NBC.com, and the network has the options to bring both to TV with Sony Pictures TV International holding the series' international rights.
- 4/17/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK - NBC has named MSN's director of U.S. branded entertainment, Cameron Death, to the newly created position of vp digital content.
In his new role at NBC Digital Entertainment, Death (pronounced Deeth) will focus on creating original online content for NBC Universal's advertising clients that can be widely distributed on the Web.
The announcement was made by NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios co-chairman Ben Silverman, who worked with Death on online branded entertainment projects in his former role as founder and CEO of Reveille. MSN signed a first-look web development deal with Reveille in May 2006.
"He has done an incredible job at Microsoft and I'm looking forward to him bringing his unique and industry-leading talent and deft understanding of growth business opportunities to our team," Silverman said.
Death will report to Vivi Zigler, executive vp, NBC Digital Entertainment, and will be based in Burbank.
Among the web shows developed under the MSN-Reveille deal were "Chef to the Rescue", which integrated Kraft and "Mr. Robinson's Driving School", which featured Volvo's new C30 hatchback in a starring role alongside Craig Robinson of "The Office".
Death spent the past 10 years at Microsoft, mostly recently leading MSN's branded entertainment and experiences team in the U.S.
In his new role at NBC Digital Entertainment, Death (pronounced Deeth) will focus on creating original online content for NBC Universal's advertising clients that can be widely distributed on the Web.
The announcement was made by NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios co-chairman Ben Silverman, who worked with Death on online branded entertainment projects in his former role as founder and CEO of Reveille. MSN signed a first-look web development deal with Reveille in May 2006.
"He has done an incredible job at Microsoft and I'm looking forward to him bringing his unique and industry-leading talent and deft understanding of growth business opportunities to our team," Silverman said.
Death will report to Vivi Zigler, executive vp, NBC Digital Entertainment, and will be based in Burbank.
Among the web shows developed under the MSN-Reveille deal were "Chef to the Rescue", which integrated Kraft and "Mr. Robinson's Driving School", which featured Volvo's new C30 hatchback in a starring role alongside Craig Robinson of "The Office".
Death spent the past 10 years at Microsoft, mostly recently leading MSN's branded entertainment and experiences team in the U.S.
- 9/21/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBC has added a slew of content from its late-night programming to NBC.com.
While original and exclusive content from Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Late Night With Conan O'Brien and Last Call With Carson Daly will be added, users also will be privy to new interactive features.
"The late-night content is consistently popular on the site, and these additions are going to keep fans coming back for more," said Vivi Zigler, executive vp of NBC digital entertainment and new media.
Through Saturday Night Live's new feature dubbed Backstage, fans will have access to behind-the-scenes footage of the show, while users also can "star" in the show's Weekend Update segment by uploading their own videos.
Tonight Show fans can view original webisodes and peruse photo galleries of Jay Leno's Garage, while behind-the-scenes material also will be available from Late Night as well as a full season of Pale Force, the online series from O'Brien and Jim Gaffigan.
Last Call will introduce All Access, a Web series featuring behind-the-scenes footage of music industry notables.
While original and exclusive content from Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Late Night With Conan O'Brien and Last Call With Carson Daly will be added, users also will be privy to new interactive features.
"The late-night content is consistently popular on the site, and these additions are going to keep fans coming back for more," said Vivi Zigler, executive vp of NBC digital entertainment and new media.
Through Saturday Night Live's new feature dubbed Backstage, fans will have access to behind-the-scenes footage of the show, while users also can "star" in the show's Weekend Update segment by uploading their own videos.
Tonight Show fans can view original webisodes and peruse photo galleries of Jay Leno's Garage, while behind-the-scenes material also will be available from Late Night as well as a full season of Pale Force, the online series from O'Brien and Jim Gaffigan.
Last Call will introduce All Access, a Web series featuring behind-the-scenes footage of music industry notables.
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.